JP2014515089A - Lighter with multiple working contacts - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lighter. The lighter includes a housing having a fuel supply, an actuating unit movably attached to the housing for selectively igniting the fuel, and at least two separate contacts, wherein the user may Sufficient force or torque can be applied using at least two fingers to overcome the force / torque required to activate and release the fuel, and the actuation unit has at least one internal surface ing.
[Selection] Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates generally to pocket lighters used to light cigarettes and cigars, and practical lighters used to ignite candles, barbecue grills, fireplaces and campfires. More specifically, the present invention relates to these writers that prevent unintentional or unintended operations by unintended users.

  Lighters used to ignite tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars and pipes have been developed for many years. Typically, these lighters have either a rotating friction component or a piezoelectric element for producing a spark in the vicinity of a nozzle that discharges fuel from the fuel storage section. Piezoelectric mechanisms have gained worldwide acceptance due to their ease of use. US Patent No. 5,262,697 to Meury discloses one such piezoelectric mechanism, the disclosure of the '697 patent is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

  Lighters have also evolved from small cigarette lighters and pocket lighters to a number of expanded forms and utility lighters. These utility lighters are more useful for general purposes such as igniting candles, barbecue grills, fireplaces and campfires. The early stages of such a design simply relied on an extended operating handle that contained a typical pocket lighter at the rear end. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,259,059 and 4,462,791 contain examples of this concept.

  Many pocket lighters and utility lighters have some mechanism to prevent unwanted lighter operations by young children. An on / off switch that can close the fuel source or stop the movement of an actuator such as a lighter push button is a common mechanism. An on / off switch that the user actively moves between the “on” and “off” positions can be problematic. For example, if an adult user forgets to return the switch to the “off” position after use, this feature is useless.

Other pocket lighters and utility lighters have spring-loaded block pawls that stop or avoid actuator and push button movement. Saito US Pat. No. 5,697,775 and Shike et al. US Pat. No. 5,145,358 provide examples of such lighters.
There is an existing need for a lighter that prevents unintentional or unintended operation by an unintended user, is easy to manufacture, has as few parts as possible, and is accessible to the intended user. It is an object of the present invention to satisfy.

US Patent 5,262,697 U.S. Pat.No. 4,259,059 U.S. Patent 4,462,791 US Patent 5,697,775 US Patent 5,145,358

  According to the present invention, the aforementioned needs and objectives are met. In accordance with the present invention, the design of the lighter reduces the number of parts required to make the lighter into child resistance (CR), up to the quantity used by the lighter before efforts to improve the CR property of the lighter increased. It is to reduce. This writer's design has CR properties and is easy to use for adults, or target users, while significantly reducing cost and complexity.

  The present invention relates to lighters such as pocket lighters and utility lighters. The housing has a fuel supply; an ignition mechanism for igniting the fuel from the fuel supply; an actuation unit movably attached to the housing to selectively ignite the fuel when an actuation force is applied And at least two separate contacts exposed from the housing that allow the user to use at least two fingers to apply a force to the contact that the combined force is greater than or equal to the actuation force; Part.

  The two separate contact portions of the actuation unit may be on the opposite side of the housing and may be exposed through different parts or surfaces of the housing. The actuating unit may be made as a one-piece actuating member, and actuated so that application of force to the separated contacts selectively moves the actuating member relative to the housing to ignite the fuel. The unit may be movably attached to the housing.

  The actuation unit may alternatively be an actuation assembly that includes a plurality of parts, one or more of which is movably associated with the housing and allows the operation of the lighter by applying the required actuation force. In other words, the actuating unit can be a one-piece actuating member or an actuating assembly comprising a plurality of parts.

  The lighter may have an extended nozzle like a typical utility lighter, which nozzle is connected to the fuel supply. The fuel supply section supplies fuel to the extended nozzle, typically through a tube. When the actuating unit is moved or rotated, the inner surface of the actuating unit interacts with the gas release mechanism for releasing the fuel, and also interacts with the ignition or spark generating member to produce a spark. Is ignited. The interaction may be direct, or it may be indirect with parts between the cam and the piezoelectric mechanism or between the cam and the gas release mechanism.

  The force needed to move the actuation unit to ignite the fuel can be the sum of the force needed to release the gas and the force needed to actuate the spark generating member. The force for moving the actuating unit is amplified by adding an additional force-applying member, for example at least one spring to counteract the actuating unit movement or to return the actuating unit to its initial position. May be.

  In addition to the possibility of adding additional force application members to increase the required actuation force, the actuation force can be adjusted at the position of the contact with respect to the rotational axis. In other words, the length of the lever for applying the final force to the operating unit can adjust the ease and difficulty of the lighter operation.

  The first contact portion of the actuating unit may be located in the lower part of the housing and the second contact portion may be in another part of the handle. The second contact portion is preferably located at the top of the handle. The activation unit is moved from a first initial or off position to a second ignition position, and when the activation unit is moved to the ignition position, the lighter ignites the fuel supplied from the fuel supply.

Preferred features of the invention are disclosed with the figures. Like reference symbols refer to like parts throughout the several views.

  FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a practical lighter as one embodiment. Some parts have been omitted for clarity and depiction of various internal details. The lighter is in the initial position.

FIG. 1A is a detailed view of the connections between the fuel supply, the tube and the gas actuator part.

FIG. 1B is a detailed view of the end of the extended nozzle, where ignition occurs.

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the practical lighter of FIG. 1, with the lighter in an ignited state.

FIG. 2A is a detailed view of the cam 150 of the lighter of FIG. 1, illustrating various aspects of the cam.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1, with the user's finger placed at two separate contacts on the actuation unit added at the beginning of the ignition process.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, with the user's fingers placed on two separate contact portions on the actuation unit being added upon ignition.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the actuation unit, where the actuation points are on the side and bottom of the housing in the initial position.

FIG. 6 is an operating unit of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 7 shows the ignition position in the same embodiment as FIG.

FIG. 8 is the same view as FIG. 5, with the user's fingers placed at two operating points on the operating unit added at the beginning of the ignition process.

FIG. 9 is the same view as FIG. 7, with the user's fingers placed at two operating points on the operating unit at the ignition position.

FIG. 10 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of a practical lighter, with some parts omitted for clarity and depiction of various internal details, with the lighter in an initial or resting position.

FIG. 10A is an isometric view of a portion of the ignition unit of FIG.

10B is an isometric view of another portion of the ignition unit of FIG.

FIG. 10C is a front view of the portion of the ignition unit of FIG. 10B.

FIG. 10D is a diagram of the embodiment of FIG. 10 in the ignition position.

11 and FIG. 12 shows another embodiment having three contact surfaces.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a further embodiment of a practical lighter, with some parts omitted for clarity and depiction of various internal details, with the lighter in an initial or resting position.

FIG. 13A illustrates the components of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 13B illustrates other parts of the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 14 shows the embodiment of FIG. 13 in the ignition position when both the push button and the cam are pressed while applying a greater force to the push button than the cam, or when only the push button is pressed.

FIG. 15 shows the embodiment of FIG. 13 in the ignition position when only the cam is pressed, or when both the push button and the cam are pressed while applying a greater force to the cam than the push button.

Detailed Description of the Invention

  Returning to FIG. 1, an embodiment of a utility lighter 10 constructed in accordance with the present invention is shown with the understanding that those skilled in the art will appreciate that many modifications and substitutions can be made to various components. Although the present invention will be described with reference to utility lighters, those skilled in the art can also read the teachings of conventional pocket lighters and the like.

  The utility lighter 10 of FIG. 1 and other embodiments provided herein are utility lighters designed to have features for avoiding or preventing (or increasing difficulty) from being ignited by unintended users. I will provide a.

  The utility lighter 10 has a handle at one end and a nozzle 230 (FIG. 1B) at the other end, and also includes a fuel supply 110 connected for selective fluid communication with the nozzle 230. An ignition assembly, such as the piezoelectric element mechanism shown generally at 143, is operably connected to the housing 100 to create a spark proximity nozzle 165 (FIG. 1B). The actuator unit, shown in this embodiment as a cam 150, is connected to the housing 100 in proximity to the handle and is both for discharging fuel from the fuel supply 100 and for moving the ignition assembly 143. Work.

  The housing 100 can be formed primarily from molded hard polymers and plastic materials such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and the like. The housing 100 may be formed from two parts that are combined together by techniques known to those skilled in the art, such as ultrasonic welding.

  1-4, the housing 100 preferably includes a fuel supply container 110, a gas actuator 120, and a valve assembly 130 connected to a tube 160 extending through the tube portion 180 to the tip of the tube portion or the nozzle 230. Including a fuel supply unit 105 (FIGS. 1 and 1A). The fuel supply container 110 contains fuel such as butane, propane and butane mixtures, and other compressed hydrocarbon gases. Retainers 190 and 200 shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 are in place in the housing 100 and hold the fuel supply 110 to the gas actuator 120.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 1 </ b> A, and 2, the gas actuator 120 is rotatably supported or connected to the housing 100 or the fuel supply unit 105. The valve assembly 130 includes a jet 164 (FIG. 1A) and a valve. The valve is an adjustable or fixed flame valve and can be normally open or normally closed as is known in the art. The counterclockwise rotation of the gas actuator 120 lifts the jet 164 while releasing fuel from the fuel supply 105.

  As shown in FIGS. 1, 1A and 2, the fuel connector 162 is located at the top of the jet 164 where it receives the tube 160. However, the connector 162 is additional and if not used, the tube 160 is placed directly on the jet 164.

  Suitable fuel supply containers 110 are disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 5,934,895, 5,520,197, 5,435,719 and 6,086,360, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The fuel supply unit disclosed in the above patent may have various components such as windshields, pawl springs, pawls, etc. removed or all of the disclosed components used as desired by those skilled in the art. Alternative designs may be used for the fuel supply.

  Tube 160 defines a path for fluidly connecting fuel supply unit 110 to nozzle 165 (FIGS. 1, 1A and 1B). A suitable material for the flexible tube 160 is plastic. That is, the tube 160 transports fuel from the fuel supply unit 105 to the nozzle 165.

  The tube 160 is connected to the nozzle 165 located in the vicinity of the extended nozzle tip 230 or the cylindrical portion 180. That is, the tube 160 conveys the fuel from the fuel supply unit 105 to the nozzle 165 at the tip 230 of the cylindrical portion 180. The nozzle 165 may additionally include a diffuser 167, preferably in the form of a coil spring shown in FIG. 1B.

  Although not required in all aspects of the invention, as in FIG. 1, an electrical ignition assembly 143, such as a piezoelectric mechanism, is one preferred ignition assembly. Such an ignition assembly may alternatively include other electronic ignition components. It may include spark wheels and flint assemblies, or other well known mechanisms well known in the art for generating sparks and igniting fuel, such as those shown in US Pat. Nos. 3,758,820 and 5,496,169. The ignition assembly may alternatively include, for example, a battery having a coil connected to the terminal. The piezoelectric mechanism is of the type disclosed in the aforementioned '697 patent.

  The piezoelectric unit 143 preferably includes an upper portion 140 and a lower portion 142 that slide relative to each other along a common axis. A coil spring or piezoelectric spring 148 is located between the upper and lower portions 140, 142 of the piezoelectric unit. Piezoelectric spring 148 acts to counteract the pressure of the piezoelectric unit and counteracts rotation of cam 150 when in the housing 100.

  The piezoelectric unit 143 (FIG. 3) further includes an electrical contact portion 145 and an electrical contact portion 147. A wire 146 connects the electrical contact portion 147 to the tube portion 180. Wire 144 connects electrical contact 145 to nozzle 165 (shown in FIG. 1B). When the piezoelectric unit 143 is activated, a spark is generated between the gaps W (FIG. 1B) to ignite the fuel.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the cam 150 is preferably rotatably supported by the housing 100. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the cam 150 may be coupled or connected to the housing in other ways, such as cantilevered, bendable, slidable, or rotatable. For example, the cam 150 may be connected, and one part may be coupled to the housing 100 and the other part may be composed of two parts that pivot. Such an embodiment is shown in FIG. 10 described below.

  The shape of the cam 150 is such that at least two exposed surfaces (150a and 150b in FIG. 1) and at least one functional surface (eg, 150c, 150d, etc.) that interacts directly or indirectly with the ignition assembly and / or the fuel supply. Any shape is possible as long as it has FIG. 2A). In this embodiment, the cam 150 has two operating points; specifically, an upper exposed contact surface 150a at the top of the cam 150 and exposed from the housing 100 at the upper end of the housing, and a lower portion of the housing 100. And a lower exposed contact surface 150b extending outward from the housing 100. These two operating points allow an adult user to apply force to two locations with two different fingers. As the cam 150 rotates about the camshaft 152, the gas actuator contact surface 150d closes the gap X (FIG. 3) between the surface 150d and the gas activator 120, ie, rotates to the gas actuator 120 and causes fuel to flow. Apply force / mutation to release. The fuel reaches the nozzle 165 through the tube 160. While the gas is released, the piezoelectric contact surface 150c compresses the piezoelectric mechanism 143 so that a hammer (not shown) in the piezoelectric unit impacts a piezoelectric element (not shown) in the piezoelectric unit. The impact of the piezoelectric element part or the crystal generates an electrical impulse, and the impulse is guided from the cylindrical part 180 to the cylindrical antenna 168 (FIG. 1B) through the wires 144 and 146 (shown in FIGS. 1 to 4), and the nozzle 165 Alternatively, a spark is generated in the diffuser 167 and the gap W. An electrical arc is created through the gap W between the nozzle 165 or diffuser 167 and the cylindrical antenna 168, thus igniting the fuel released from the fuel supply.

  Alternatively, the actuator unit may perform one of the fuel discharge and / or ignition functions, and the other mechanism or assembly may perform the other function.

  It is within the large range of the present invention for the actuator unit cam 150 and other embodiments of the present invention to have either or both of fuel release and ignition functions. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, cam 150 performs both of these functions. However, the function of the cam 150 as a means of inhibiting operation by a non-target user is satisfied by operating either of these functions through the cam, while both functions must be performed for ignition. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that other functions may be performed by different mechanisms. For example, in such an embodiment, the cam 150 can only operate the ignition assembly 143, and some other operating structure may be disposed on the lighter 10 to control the fuel supply.

  That is, any combination of ignition and fuel delivery functions can be controlled by the actuator unit according to the broad range of the present invention. However, preferably the actuator unit has both of these functions.

  The cam 150 of this embodiment is a thermoformable material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polypropylene, nylon, acetal, etc., preferably injection molded plastic parts, or zinc (Zamak3), aluminum, etc. It is preferable that the die cast part is cast from

  Alternatively, the cam 150 may be part of a multi-part assembly, i.e., the actuating unit is a multi-part assembly, part or all of which may be the housing 100 and / or cam to ignite as desired. It may be movable with respect to 150.

  Alternatively, the cam 150 may be made from a plurality of materials such that the upper and lower working surfaces 150c and 150d are coated with a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) to increase comfort to the target user.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lighter 10 may include a spring that creates the predetermined actuation force required to actuate the lighter by rotating the cam 150. The piezoelectric spring 148 and the coil spring 170b in the piezoelectric part 143 are preferably all of the springs in the embodiment so as to minimize the necessary parts.

  Additionally, for example, a torsion spring 170a and / or spring 170c of the rotating shaft 152, or the like, may be added to create different desired actuation forces. If desired, the predetermined actuation force may have a non-linear spring force so that the force that rotates the cam 150 changes during rotation.

  The torsion spring 170 a may be located between the housing 110 and the cam 150. The torsion spring 170a is preferably manufactured from a metal having elastic properties, such as a metal such as spring steel or stainless steel, or other types of materials.

  The spring 170 c may be located between the cam 150 and the protrusion 220 of the housing 100. The spring 170c can be manufactured from a steel having elastic properties such as spring steel or stainless steel, for example, and may be manufactured from other types of materials such as acetal thermoplastic. It should be noted that although the spring 170c is shown as being provided with respect to the protrusion 220 of the lighter housing 100, it may alternatively be combined with other parts of the lighter. The coil spring 170b may be a tension or compression coil spring, or may be replaced with a leaf spring, a cantilever spring or some other biasing member suitable for biasing the cam 150. The protrusion 220 is a pin or other located on one side of the protrusion 220 that secures one end of the spring 170b so as to avoid the side wall and the spring moving on the protrusion 220 while the cam 150 rotates. It has some structure. Cam 150 also has a recess (circular) or some other suitable structure to help maintain the other end of spring 170b in the desired position on cam 150 during rotation of cam 150. May be.

  The spring 170c can also be a spring with various spring constants to increase the force in place. This may also be done to create a non-linear resistance to operation, as described above. One predetermined position can be such that the spring force increases just before the actuation of the piezoelectric. This is achieved by locating the spring (s) inside each other, ie, increasing the spring force when the compressed height reaches the smaller spring, and increasing the spring constant. A coil spring can be used.

  Also according to FIG. 1, the housing pin 225 is connected to the housing 100 and is arranged to prevent the cam 150 from turning clockwise when the cam 150 is in the initial position. When the cam 150 is in contact with the housing pin 225, the cam 150 is in the initial position. Piezoelectric spring 148, springs 170 a and / or 170 c can be designed to apply a force to cam 150. The cam 150 returns to the initial position, creating an initial load that the user must overcome as part of the actuation force to rotate the cam 150 from the initial position.

  The coil spring 170 b is located between the gas actuator 120 and the rib receiver 190 of the housing 100. The coil spring 170b is preferably manufactured from, for example, a metal having elastic properties such as spring steel or stainless steel, or other types of materials such as acetal thermoplastic. It should be noted that although the coil spring 170b is shown provided for the housing 100, it may be coupled to other parts of the lighter.

  Piezoelectric springs 148, torsion springs 170a, coil springs 170b and / or springs 170c are difficult enough to operate for non-target users, while adults are lighters with two fingers, for example the index finger and thumb Can be adjusted to produce an actuating force that provides the force required to ignite. The combined force at the exposed contact surface to ignite the gas is less than 20 kg and greater than 5 kg. Preferably it is smaller than 15 kg and larger than 6.5 kg. The torque can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the lever between the contact portions of the cam 150.

  This embodiment (lighter design) is also inherently resistant to modification. If cam 150 is removed from the lighter, the lighter will not function and cannot be operated. This is because all the surfaces necessary to release the gas and activate the ignition mechanism are removed from the product.

  The surfaces 150c and 150d are positioned so that the surfaces 150d and 150c are coupled to the piezoelectric portion and / or the fuel discharge component at a desired location, so that the fuel is released and the piezoelectric mechanism is operated. Can be designed to adjust the angle. The position of the piezoelectric mechanism 143, the gas actuator 120, and the springs (170a, 170b, and 170c) with respect to the rotating shaft 152 and the piezoelectric mechanism 143 are operated to press the gas actuator 120 to release the gas, and the springs (170a, 170b, The force to rotate the cam to overcome the force from 170c), plus any frictional force, is combined to determine the force / torque to rotate the cam 150 to ignite the fuel. When the user wants to extinguish the fire, when the actuating unit is released, the internal spring pivots the cam 150 back to the initial or rest position, thereby stopping the gas flow from the fuel supply unit 105 and extinguishing the fire. .

  That is, the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 represents a lighter 10 having an internal spring that resists the operation of the lighter to a desired force so that operation by an unintended user can be prevented. On the other hand, the cam 150 is designed to have two different working surfaces. Specifically, at 150a and 150b, two fingers are used to overcome the reverse force for lighter ignition, thus igniting the fuel. FIG. 1 shows the lighter 10 of this embodiment in the rest position, where cam 150d is spaced apart from gas actuator 120 and cam surface 150c is adjacent to ignition assembly 143 but does not move. FIG. 2 shows the same lighter moved to the ignition position, the cam 150 being rotated counterclockwise, the cam surface 150d compressing the gas actuator 120 to release fuel, and the cam surface 150c is The ignition assembly 143 is moving. 3 and 4 show the lighter 10 in the same position as in FIGS. 1 and 2, but show the intended position of the user's finger to apply forces to the surfaces 150a and 150d as desired.

  FIGS. 5-9 show further embodiments of the present invention where the actuator unit differs in structure from the cam 150 of FIGS. In the embodiment of FIGS. 5-9, the actuator unit includes an assembly 650 of a cam 652 and an extension 654, in which case the extension 654 is secured to the cam 652 and through the slot 658 of the housing 600. Is a laterally extending rod 656 that extends out of the wall. As indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5, the rod 656 provides another surface that is powered by the target user to provide the combined actuation force required to operate the lighter. FIG. 5 shows another actuation assembly 650 inside the lighter, and FIG. 6 shows the assembly 650 removed from the housing 600 to depict further details.

  FIG. 7 shows the assembly 650 in the housing 600 in the ignition position. Cam 652 pivots about axis of rotation 660. It will be appreciated that in this embodiment the cam 652 can be biased by a spring as well. Since the interior of the housing 100 is similar, details are not repeated in this embodiment, but are similar to those described above for the embodiment of FIGS. That is, the rest position of this embodiment is shown in FIG. 5, and FIGS. 8 and 9 are for pivoting the actuation assembly 650 from the initial position shown in FIGS. 5 and 9 to the ignition position shown in FIGS. Describes the target user's finger position used.

  It will be appreciated that the rod 656 of this embodiment provides a second surface to which force is applied, within the broad objectives of the invention disclosed herein.

  FIGS. 10 and 10A-D illustrate another embodiment and include a push button 340 slidably connected to the housing 100. The rib 341 of the push button 340 fits into a slot (not shown) in the housing 100 and allows the push button 340 to slide relative to the housing. The push button 340 has a pin 342 that fits into the slot 351 of the cam 350. When the push button 340 is pressed with one finger by the target user, the pin 342 contacts the surface of the slot 351 and the force / displacement is exerted on the cam 350 to rotate the cam 350 in a counterclockwise direction. At the same time, the target user can apply a force to the lower exposed cam contact surface 350b with another finger so as to rotate the cam 350. When the cam 350 rotates, the gas actuator contact surface 350d contacts and compresses the gas actuator 120 to release gas from the fuel supply unit, and the piezoelectric contact surface 350c generates piezoelectric sparks for igniting the fuel. Press the part.

  The spring 170c is a coil spring positioned in a compressed state between the protrusion 220 and the surface 350c of the cam 350, making the rotation of the cam 350 difficult, and returning the cam 350 to the initial position when released by the user. A pin 201 may be added to the protrusion 220 to adjust the position of the spring 170c on the protrusion 220, or additional protrusions or depressions may be added to the spring 170c as described above and as is well known. It may be fixed or coupled to both sides.

  The housing pin 325, like the pin 225 in FIG. 1, prevents the cam 350 from moving clockwise when the cam 350 is in the initial position.

  The shape of the slot 351 and the pin 342 is such that the sliding action of the push button 340 may cause the cam 350 to return to the initial position when the user releases the push button and the cam 350 between the slot 351 and the pin 342, for example. Designed to avoid any obvious restraints or interferences such as blocking. Further, when the cam 350 is rotated without the push button 340 being pressed, the push button 340 does not move until the rear end of the slot 351 contacts the pin 342.

  Summarizing the embodiment of FIGS. 10 and 10A-D, this embodiment functions on the same concept as the embodiment of FIGS. This embodiment, however, includes the cam 350, the push button 340, the actuating assembly including the push button 340 and parts that interact with or link to the cam 350, and the cooperation of the push button 340 and cam 350 with the gas actuator 120 and the ignition assembly 143. Is used.

  FIG. 10 shows the lighter of this embodiment in the initial position. The user applies a force to push button 340 and cam 350 so that the combined force is sufficient to move cam 350 into the housing and operate the internal mechanism as desired. This embodiment can be operated.

  10A-C further illustrate various views of the push button according to this embodiment, showing in more detail the substructure of the rib 341 that holds the pin 342 for interaction between the slot 351 and the cam 350. .

  This embodiment is operated by applying force to both the push button 340 and the cam 350 as intended, and either a push button 340 or the cam 350 is applied by a sufficiently strong person applying more force. It is also operated by applying force to the.

  When sufficient force is applied, cam 350 rotates inwardly in housing 100 in the direction of the ignition position shown in FIG. 10D. In that position, surfaces 350c and 350d of cam 350 interact with the piezoelectric mechanism, gas actuator 120, and fuel supply unit, respectively, and ignition occurs as desired.

  When he wants to extinguish the flame from the lighter, the user releases the force applied to the cam 350 and push button 340. Then, internal springs such as springs 170c and 170b cause cam 350 to pivot clockwise to the initial position of FIG.

  It should be noted that in this embodiment, and possibly other embodiments of the present invention, after the lighter is ignited, the flame is maintained by applying a continuous force to either the push button 340 or the cam 350. It is.

  Also for this embodiment, slot 351 defines the amount of motion that can be applied to push button 340 before the motion of push button 340 applies force to cam 350. When moving from the initial position of FIG. 10 toward the ignition position of FIG. 10D, the force applied to the push button 340 does not apply any force to the cam 350 until the pin 342 reaches the front face of the slot 351. . In addition, the larger the size of the slot 351, the more the push button 340 or cam 350 can move relative to each other before contact occurs between the slot and the pin 342. It may be desirable to have a slot in which the movement of the push button 340 without affecting the cam 350 is sufficiently large. This is because it helps to prevent unintended users from connecting the push button 340 and cam 350 together.

  FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate an embodiment of the present invention, using either a second finger at a different position or the user's third finger to help the third surface provide sufficient force. It is provided to operate.

  Apart from the shape of the cam 150 shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the operation of the embodiments of these figures is substantially the same as that of FIGS. The key to the distinct difference in this embodiment is an extension 210 that extends downwardly from the cam 150, creating an additional surface that is forced by the user. That is, in this embodiment, a force can be applied to the upper surface 150 a, the lower surface 150 b, and / or the front end of the extension 210 by the user. FIG. 12 shows the lighter of this embodiment in the ignition position, and when sufficient force is applied to the cam 150, the cam 150 is counter-clockwise as in other embodiments so that the lighter is activated and ignites. It clearly shows that it rotates. When the force on the cam 150 including the extension 210 is released, the cam 150 pivots clockwise toward the position of FIG. 11 and the lighter flame disappears.

  In other embodiments, as shown in FIGS. 13-15, the push button 440 is pivotally coupled to the housing 100 about a shaft 441. The push button 440 has a spring connection surface 443 and a protrusion 442. The spring 470 c is housed in a compressed state between the spring connection surface 443 of the push button 440 and the rib or other structure 420 of the housing 100. Optional spring 470c increases the difficulty of pushing down push button 440 and returns push button 440 to its initial position when released by the user. When the push button 440 is pressed with one finger by the target user, the protrusion 442 applies a force to the surface 450a of the cam 450, and at the same time, the target user is exposed to the bottom with another finger to rotate the cam 450. A force can be applied to the cam contact surface 450b. When the cam 450 rotates, the gas actuator contact surface 450d comes into contact with the gas actuator 120 to compress the gas from the fuel supply unit, and the piezoelectric contact surface 450c generates a spark for igniting the gas or fuel. The piezoelectric part is pressed. When the user releases the push button 440 and the cam 450, the spring 470c returns the push button 440, and the piezoelectric portion 143 and the gas actuator spring 470b also return the cam 450 to the initial position. If necessary, additional springs may be provided to help the cam 450 return.

  It should be noted that the push button 440 may be designed as a cantilevered bar member connected to the housing, so that the shaft 411 is not necessary. The elasticity of the bar member will cause the bar member to bend and recover as needed, and this elasticity could eliminate the need for the spring 470c.

  It will be appreciated that the protrusion 442 of the push button 440 can interact with the cam 450 in several different ways. Furthermore, in this embodiment, there is some play between the push button 440 and the cam 450, as in the other embodiments, and the non-target user has some connection between these two structures. Is preferably not obvious. FIG. 13A is a more detailed depiction of the structure of the protrusion 442 and shows that the lower pin 446 and the upper surface 448 are separated by a gap Z. FIG. These structures interact with the cam 450 at the positions most depicted in FIG. 13B, contact surfaces 450a and 450e. These surfaces define a thickness A commensurate with the gap Z shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, for example. The size of the gap Z with respect to the thickness A gives a desired amount of play between the push button 440 and the cam 450. In this embodiment, if most or all of the force is applied to either push button 440 or cam 450, contact between these two parts may occur at different locations on contact surfaces 450a and 450e. It will be clear. However, if both are moved, both structures may move together. Depending on the force applied to push button 440 and / or cam 450, one of surfaces 450a and 450e contacts surface 448 or 446 of push button 440, respectively. In other words, if a greater force is applied to the push button 440, the surface 448 will come into contact with the contact surface 450a of the cam 450 and further movement will occur on those surfaces in contact. On the other hand, if even greater force is applied to the cam 450, the surface 450e will contact the contact surface 446 of the push button 440, and further movement of these two parts will occur at these two surfaces in contact. Let's go. If a substantially balanced force is applied to both push button 440 and cam 450 such that surfaces 450a and 450e float in gap Z between surfaces 448 and 446 without contacting each other, further Different situations can arise. FIG. 13 shows this embodiment in its initial position, with the spring rotating cam 450 fully clockwise and the push button 440 fully lifted. The housing 100 has a push button stop 111 (FIG. 13), and the push button 440 includes an extension 444 that cooperates to prevent the push button 440 from rotating out of the housing 100. Yes.

  FIG. 14 depicts this embodiment in the ignition position. This state can be obtained by pressing both the push button 440 and the cam 450 with a greater force than the cam or by pressing only the push button. When force is applied in this manner, contact occurs between the surface 448 of the push button 440 and the surface 450a of the cam 450.

  Operating the lighter of this embodiment by applying force to both cam 450 and push button 440 while applying a greater force to cam 450 alone or to cam 450 than push button 440 is shown in FIG. While rotating to the ignition position, the cam 450 pulls the push button 440 along, making contact between the surface 446 of the push button 440 and the surface 450e of the cam 450.

  In either case, when it is desired to extinguish the fire in this embodiment, releasing the push button 440 and the cam 450 causes the cam 450 to pivot clockwise toward the initial position of FIG. This stops the flow of fuel, thereby extinguishing the fire.

  Still referring to FIGS. 13-15, the housing pin 425 is arranged with respect to the cam 450 to prevent clockwise rotation of the cam 450 when the cam 450 is in the initial position, similar to the pin 225 of FIG. sell. A housing pin 425, which is preferably attached to the housing 110 as a pawl for the cam 450 (initial position), is used to help contact between these two parts, particularly when a force is applied to the push button 440. 450 or push button 440, or as a separate part between them.

  One skilled in the art can vary the amount of force required by selecting different springs with some spring constant and / or changing the shape of the camming surface of cam 150 and the position of center 152 relative to different contact points. I know what I can and will understand. As a result of this design, the force to rotate the cam 150 will also change.

  The lighter is designed so that the user must have a certain strength to ignite the lighter. The lighter can be ignited with one action or one finger when the target user applies a greater force to one of the exposed surfaces 150a or 150b. This is called a powerful mode.

  For all embodiments, the strong mode should preferably not be greater than a predetermined value so that it is not excessively difficult for a target user to use a writer. For the lighter of the present invention, the preferred value is less than about 10 kg and preferably greater than about 5 kg. More preferably, it is less than about 8.5 kg and greater than about 6.5 kg. In other words, the total force applied to the two contact surfaces, whether in combination or either, is between about 5-10 kg. Such a range of forces is not substantially negative for the target user, however, it is believed to provide the desired resistance to operations by non-target users. These values are examples, and the force for operation in the powerful mode may be larger or smaller than the above range.

  Alternatively, if the target user does not want to use the lighter by activating the lighter with one finger on one contact surface (power mode), the target user contacts the multiple cam surfaces according to the embodiment. You can also operate the lighter. And applying the force to both places simultaneously makes the force for operating the lighter smaller at any position and makes the operation of the lighter easier. This mode of operation includes a plurality of actuating actions, and in the illustrated embodiment, the user can cam two or more forces / movements with less force than is required in the powerful mode in any aspect. 150, 350, 450, 650 and / or push buttons 340, 440 or extension rod 656. This is called weak mode.

  Preferably, for use in weak mode, the user must have a certain level of dexterity, hand size, and recognition ability to move both exposed contact surfaces (eg 150a and 150b) simultaneously. .

  The present invention is not limited to the disclosed sequences, but also includes alternative forms foreseen by those skilled in the art. The safety feature of the lighter 10 in non-target users in the weak mode is also based on physical differences between the target user and non-target users, for example, cams 150, 350, 450 (and / or It may be by adjusting the gap between the exposed surfaces of the push buttons 340/440) and / or adjusting the actuation force and displacement required to actuate the lighter. The force and displacement are due to adjusting the cam surface interference, adjusting the cam 150 shaft position, cam surface shape (150c and 150d), and spring design. Further, the gaps Y, Z and thicknesses A, B can also be set to optimize the sensation and / or force required to operate the lighter for target and non-target users.

  All internal parts and / or assembly designs, such as the design of the actuating assembly or unit, the design of the linkage, the number of springs and the force generated by the springs, all need to be given to the actuating unit by the user in order to actuate the lighter Affects force. For example, the force required for a cam moving along the actuation path is not the same when the path of the actuator unit is linear, rotational, non-linear, etc. It is also possible to have an actuating action in which the user moves the actuating unit along multiple paths that make it more difficult to actuate.

  While the disclosed embodiments have shown preferred forms of actuation units having rotating actuation paths, those skilled in the art will appreciate that linear, rotational, and / or non-linear actuation forces, multiple paths, etc. are within the scope of the present invention. It will be clear to be foreseen.

  It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the force that the target user can comfortably apply to the cam can be increased or decreased due to various factors. These factors include, for example, the force that pushes, pulls and actuates the actuation unit given by the lighter design, the friction and spring rate of the lighter parts, the shape of the exposed cam surface, the shape of the cam, the complexity of the cam actuation operation, Such as the position, size, shape of the part, desired speed of operation, etc. For example, the position and / or relationship between the cam exposed surfaces can be designed taking into account the size of the user's hand.

  One feature of the lighter 10 is that in the high-power mode, the operating point / operation only works once as long as the user gives the required operating force and displacement. Another feature of the lighter 10 is that in the low power mode, multiple operating points / operations work as long as the user provides sufficient force and displacement to the exposed surface of the cam 150 to ignite the lighter. In particular, when the lighter does not ignite on the first attempt, the user can attempt to ignite again by activating the cam 150 by applying force to one or more operating points, so For example, it may be required to release the operating unit, for example, by resetting the piezoelectric unit.

  The lighter designs shown in FIGS. 10-10D, 13-15 are also inherently resistant to modification. This is because if the push button (340 or 449) is deliberately removed, the lighter goes into a powerful mode. That is, the force to actuate the springs 170b, 170c and the ignition mechanism can be designed to create the force necessary for the lighter to become child resistance, thus rotating the cam 350 or 450 to actuate the lighter. Therefore, the power for this will exceed the level of child resistance. If the cam 350 or 450 is deliberately removed from the lighter, the lighter will not function and cannot be operated. This is because all the surfaces necessary to release the gas and operate the ignition mechanism are removed from the product.

  In all embodiments disclosed herein, the lighter 10 has two working surfaces that must be moved in a predetermined direction with sufficient force and displacement to ignite the lighter. This forces an adult user to apply power to different parts of the same part or assembly to add power to ignite the lighter. Placing the operating point of the cam 150 to apply the igniting force using two different fingers of the target user will present difficulties for non-target users. This is because non-target users do not have cognitive ability, dexterity, hand size, and / or strength to overcome the lighter's actuation force only by touching one actuation point. . Also, non-target users cannot touch two or more operating points with a smaller hand than adults or target users, or have sufficient force at the same time in the right direction to activate the lighter. This is because it cannot be added.

  The distance between the operating points may be designed to require two hands to operate, or to have a large hand to touch both operating points at the same time.

  The lighter is preferably designed with a rotating cam that is touched by an adult hand and has two separate operating points that require a certain torque. For a typical lever arm length of a lighter of the present invention, the lever arm is between about 5 mm and about 50 mm, and the predetermined torque is preferably less than 500 kg-mm and greater than 50 kg-mm. The two points are preferably arranged to be touched with the thumb and index finger. As shown in FIGS. 10, 10d, 13-15, the index finger can turn the cams 150, 350, 450 to ignite the lighter, and the thumb displaces the push buttons 340, 440 by a predetermined distance. Can do. Another example is shown in FIG. 3, in which the index finger is placed on the bottom surface of the cam 150 at the location of the surface 150b in FIG. 1 so as to provide the torque (force) for the lighter ignition shown in FIG. And at the same time the thumb applies torque to the surface 150a of the same cam 150 as shown in FIG. (Note that in other embodiments, similar surfaces of 350, 450 and / or push buttons 340, 440.)

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when force is applied to the cams 150, 350, 450 (and / or push buttons 340, 440), the cams 150, 350, 450 (and / or push buttons 340, 440) The gas actuator 120 and the piezoelectric mechanism 143 rotate so as to press (rotate).

  It should be noted that “first”, “second”, “third”, “upper”, “lower” and similar language are used to modify various elements. These modifiers do not imply spatial, order or hierarchy unless otherwise specified.

  While the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications can be made and equivalents to each element without departing from the scope of the invention. It will be understood that can be substituted. In addition, many modifications may be made to the teachings of the disclosure that are not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed as the best mode to be predicted for a particular situation or material. However, the present disclosure is intended to encompass all embodiments falling within.

Claims (27)

A writer,
A housing having a fuel supply;
An ignition mechanism for igniting the fuel from the fuel supply unit;
An actuation unit movably attached to the housing to selectively ignite the fuel when actuated,
At least two separate contact portions that are exposed from the housing and that allow the user to use at least two fingers to provide the contact portion with a force whose combined force is greater than or equal to the actuation force When,
Including lighter. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the operating unit has at least one internal surface for releasing fuel from a fuel supply. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the activation unit has at least one internal surface for activating an ignition mechanism to ignite the fuel. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the actuating unit has at least one internal surface for actuating an ignition mechanism and releasing fuel from a fuel supply. The actuating unit has at least one internal surface for activating an ignition mechanism to ignite the fuel and at least one additional internal surface for releasing fuel from the fuel supply. Lighter. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the actuating unit rotates relative to the housing. The lighter of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the actuation unit rotates relative to the housing.   The lighter of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the actuation unit moves in a linear motion. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the at least two contact portions are exposed from different portions of the housing. The lighter according to claim 1, wherein the at least two contact portions are exposed from the opposite side of the housing. The lighter of claim 1 wherein said at least two separate contact surfaces are on an actuation unit. The actuating unit includes a piece of actuating member movably attached to the housing, and application of force to the contact portion moves the actuating member relative to the housing to selectively ignite fuel; The lighter of claim 1. The actuating unit includes an actuating assembly having at least one component movably attached to the housing and / or the actuating unit, wherein application of force to the contact portion causes the fuel to selectively ignite fuel. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the lighter moves the unit relative to the housing and / or the actuation unit. The actuating assembly includes at least two moving parts coupled together by a coupling material;
The lighter of claim 13. The lighter of claim 14, wherein the coupling provides some movement to the other of the at least two movable parts without movement of one of the at least two movable parts. The at least two movable parts include a cam member rotatably provided on the housing and a push button rotatably provided on the housing, and the push button is coupled to the cam member by a connecting member. The lighter of claim 14. The lighter further includes a nozzle, and when operated by an operating unit, the fuel supply delivers fuel to the nozzle, the ignition mechanism ignites fuel at the nozzle, and the ignition mechanism is operated by the operating unit. The lighter of claim 1. Each of the fuel supply unit and the ignition member requires a component force applied so that the operation unit is operated, and the component force of the fuel supply unit combined with the component force of the spark generating member is a part of the operation force. The lighter of claim 17. The lighter of claim 1, further comprising an additional force application member that applies an additional force to be overcome by the actuation unit to ignite the fuel. 21. The lighter of claim 19, wherein the additional force applying member comprises at least one spring in a direction opposite to the actuating action of the actuating unit relative to the housing. The housing has a handle portion, and the at least two separate contact portions include a first contact portion extending from a lower portion of the handle and a second contact portion extending from a different part of the handle. The lighter of claim 1. The housing has a handle portion, and the at least two separate contact portions include a first contact portion extending from a lower portion of the handle, and a second contact portion extending from an upper portion of the handle member. The lighter of claim 1. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the operating unit is movable relative to the housing from a first position to a second position, the operating unit causing ignition of fuel supplied from a fuel supply. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the operating unit is set to require an operating force of 5-20 kg. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the operating unit is set to require an operating force of 6.5 to 15 kg. The lighter of claim 1, wherein the operating unit is set to require an operating torque of 50 kg-mm to 500 kg-mm. A housing having a fuel supply, an ignition mechanism for igniting the fuel from the fuel supply, and an operating unit movably attached to the housing to selectively ignite the fuel when an operating force is applied At least two separate contacts that are exposed from the housing and allow the user to use at least two fingers to provide the contact with a force whose combined force is greater than or equal to the actuation force And a method for igniting a lighter comprising:
Including applying a force to each of the two separate contacts to provide the operating unit with a combined force that is greater than or equal to the operating force, whereby fuel is released from the fuel supply and the ignition mechanism Ignited by the method.

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